Chapter 15: Aggression

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from Chapter 15 on aggression, including definitions of critical terms and explanations of models related to aggressive behavior.

Agonistic Behavior

A behavior related to fighting, including threats, displays, and actual combat.

Game Theory

A mathematical framework used to analyze strategies in competitive situations, predicting whether individuals should fight or retreat.

Ultimate Reasons for Fighting

The biological and evolutionary factors that determine when it is advantageous for individuals to escalate contests to fighting.

Opportunity Costs

The potential benefits an individual misses out on when choosing one alternative over another in a competitive scenario.

Value of a Resource

The worth of a resource may vary based on individual circumstances, availability, and ecological factors.

Hawk-Dove Game

A model explaining aggression strategies where 'hawks' fight for resources and 'doves' display but don’t engage in fights.

Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS)

A strategy that, if adopted by a population, cannot be invaded by any alternative strategy; exemplified in the Hawk-Dove game.

Frequency-dependent Selection

A process where the fitness of a phenotype depends on its frequency relative to other phenotypes in a population.

Bourgeois Strategy

A strategy in the Hawk-Dove Bourgeois game where individuals possess ownership of a resource and behave aggressively to defend it.

Antibourgeois Strategy

A strategy where individuals do not claim ownership but still compete, often used when there is a low cost of fighting.

War of Attrition Model

A model where individuals compete by displaying persistence until the opponent concedes, often used to describe competition among males.

Sequential Assessment Model

A model suggesting that individuals assess their opponent's fighting ability in stages before deciding to fight, advantageous when fighters are closely matched.